What's the story?
Like a lot of former WWE talent, Simon Gotch has changed his ring name after leaving the WWE. Drew McIntyre became Drew Galloway, Derrick Bateman became EC3, and now Simon Gotch has changed his name to Simon Grimm. He intimated this change in name through two t-shirt designs sporting his new moniker in his newly-opened store.
In case you didn’t know...
The former Vaudevillian never really got much time to shine on the main roster. After Aiden English and Grimm debuted last year, they had a short-lived feud with the New Day following Payback of that year where they injured Enzo Amore. They then faced the New Day at Extreme Rules in a losing effort for the tag team titles.
Their fortune didn't change after the draft, either. After heading to the blue brand, they were jobbed into obscurity. Not much could save the former NXT Tag champs at this point. To make matters worse, Gotch allegedly had a bit of a temper, resulting in a few backstage scuffles.
After a few more missteps, the Vaudevillians were all but forgotten, and Gotch was released on April 5th.
Also read: Simon Gotch caused a scene at catering before being released
The heart of the matter
As per wrestling norms, especially when it comes to the WWE, a name change is required after one leaves a company. In this case, the name ‘Simon Gotch’ is seen as intellectual property owned by WWE.
The former Gotch has yet to find a new home, but has opened his own store on Pro Wrestling Tees, with shirts in two designs sporting the name "Simon Grimm."
What's next?
It is unknown where Grimm will perform next. He has yet to be advertised for any independent shows, but being a former WWE talent, it shouldn't take long. As for his former partner, English has returned to his pre-Vaudevillian gimmick, that of a Broadway performer trying to get noticed while proving himself in the WWE.
It's unclear how far this gimmick will take him, but he's on the best brand possible right now when it comes to earning opportunities. We'll have to wait and see.
Author's take
I can't say I'm too upset over Grimm's departure. The Vaudevillians, much like another former NXT Tag Champions team, the Ascension, were dead on arrival. As far as talent goes, English more or less carried the team, so he may be okay on SmackDown Live.
As for Grimm, I do like the name change. It's close enough to his original name, so it should help him get some work. There have been cases of talent improving after their departure from the WWE, so he could still revive his career. I'm interested to see if he keeps the moustache, more than anything else.
Do you think Grimm had an unfair shake in the WWE? Do you think he has a chance to shine? Let us know in the comments.
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